AOL has announced the beta launch of AOL Travel Guides, an online resource that provides detailed information on more than 1,900 national and international locations and over 100,000 hotels.Also available through AOL Travel, Travel Guides include destination information—restaurants, bars, sights, activities and events—as well as hotel listings, with links to book directly from the site. In addition, the guides automatically plot these locations on a map using industry-leading technology and features from MapQuest.

“AOL Travel Guides give users the opportunity to expertly plan their vacations, based on ratings and reviews from other travelers, and share their own findings with our worldwide online audience,” said Jim Kovarik, Director and General Manager, AOL Travel. “By combining user-generated and editorial content, MapQuest technology and local search results, we can provide users access to an interactive travel site where they can help shape content.”

AOL Travel Guides also provide advertisers with an opportunity to reach users who are seeking information about specific destinations. Geo-targeted ad capabilities are available at the city, state, country and world region levels. Additionally, destinations focused on specific activities such as golf or skiing will also be packaged for interested advertisers. Specific user-submitted search queries will be targeted via sponsored links.
——-